Daily Archives: April 22, 2010

I had an A*MAZ*ING photo workshop a couple of weekends ago! I loved every second of it! I learned so much about lighting! (OK, I’ll share one of my favorite photos from it….)

(oh how yummy is that photo?)

But for a brief part of the time, I stood in front of the camera (they said that lighting unit couldn’t take a bad photo…..between you and I, I was out to prove them WRONG! 😉 ). I do not like being in front of the camera. I do not enjoy it at all. OK, I hated it.

I struggle most of the time being in front of people. It’s difficult for me to do. But we all have things and times that we WANT to be in the spotlight for, or we just want some credit….our time to shine.

But how quickly that can turn into a craving, an obsession, and a prideful fall.

I enjoy being told that someone likes my photos. I enjoy hearing that my kids are wonderful. I enjoy being told I look nice. However, I’m not such a fool to think that I could do any of these things on my own. I love my photos, but that is a true gift from God! I could not have done that on my own.

Oh but there are those times…….and I pat myself on the back and I say “WAY TO GO, DANA! You did that!” There are those times I desire that recognition.

Overall, I am a “behind the scenes” kind of girl. Give me something to do, and it’s done. Give me a mission, and I’ll do it. I don’t like to be the leader, I’m more of a follower, so lead me. It’s much more comfortable for me. I don’t want to run the show. I don’t like being in the spotlight.

In front of the camera or behind the camera?

Do you do more behind the scenes or in front of them?

Is your desire the fame and glory of men? Or of God?

It’s so easy to fall into that trap of doing things for our own glory, for our own recognition, and for our own elevation before men. It’s easy to desire the accolades and the praise from people. However, if we are doing it for MEN, we already have our reward.

Matthew 6:1-4 (The Message)

“Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don’t make a performance out of it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won’t be applauding. “When you do something for someone else, don’t call attention to yourself. You’ve seen them in action, I’m sure—’playactors’ I call them— treating prayer meeting and street corner alike as a stage, acting compassionate as long as someone is watching, playing to the crowds. They get applause, true, but that’s all they get. When you help someone out, don’t think about how it looks. Just do it—quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out.

At Christ’s Judgment seat for the saints the rewards will be handed out and the well done my faithful servant will be given to those who have run the race and went for the gold for Almighty God’s glory (2 Cor 3:10-20).

It’s so tempting to do things for the applause. It’s so nice to hear compliments from others. We want to be respected by our peers. But it’s so easy to forget God in those activities and fall into pride of self-motivating grandeur.